Tub door for laundry machines



March 15, 1966 w. c. FILES TUB DOOR FOR LAUNDRY MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Feb. 26, 1964 INVEN TOR. WILL IAM C OUR TNE V F /LE 5 March 15,1966 w. c. FILES TUB DOOR FOR LAUNDRY MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledFeb. 26, 1964 FIG. 2

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INVEN TOR. W/LL IAM COURTNEY FILES AGENT March 15, 1966 w. c. FILES TUBDOOR FOR LAUNDRY MACHINES 4 SheetsSheet 5 Filed Feb. 26, 1964 INVENTOR.W/LL/AM COURTNEY FILES AGENT March 15, 1966 w. c. FILES 3,240,382

TUB DOOR FOR LAUNDRY MACHINES Filed Feb. 26, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet L I 13F' IG. I4

1 g\\\\ X s? INVENTOR. WILL/AM COURTNEY F/LES AGE/VT United StatesPatent 3,240,382 TUB DOOR FOR LAUNDRY MACHINES William C. Files,Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to McGraw- Edison Company, Milwaukee, Wis., acorporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 26, 1964, Ser. No. 347,440 7 Claims.(Cl. 220-41) This invention relates to laundry machines of the typehaving a horizontal tube with a rotatable cylinder, and moreparticularly the invention relates to a novel means for supporting andfor opening, closing and sealing a circumferentially movable tub doorfor such machines.

It is known to provide cylinder type washers and washer-extractors withcircumferentially movable tub doors which have their edge portionssupported slidably in guideways. In :some arrangements the guidewayshave engaged the door in a sliding liquid-tight manner and in otherarrangements the overlying part of the guideway has been provided in theform of a strap or band which could be loosened during opening andclosing of the door and then pulled down tight to bring the door againsta sealing gasket to seal the door in closed position. In these priorarrangements there has been the problem on the one hand of maintaining agood enough fit in the guideway to prevent looseness and fluid leakagewhile on the other hand of avoiding binding and heavy friction whichwould make the door diflicult to move. Also, with the larger heavierdoors there has been the problem of avoiding heavy wear and friction inthe sliding guideways unless the doors are counterbalanced. Suchcounterbalancing has however added greatly to the cost and complexity ofthe door mounting.

The present invention is designed to provide a strong, durable andfriction-free mounting which permits the tub door to be opened andclosed without any sliding contact in the mounting structure or with thesealing gasket.

An object of the invention is to provide a mounting .for acircumferentially movable tub door which is totally free of slidingfriction and capable of carrying the full weight of heavy doors withoutneed for any counterbalancing.

Another object is to provide a durable mounting for a circumferentiallymovable tub door which guides the door in a positive manner and which isfree of wear.

Another object is to provide a yieldable roller mounting for a tub doorwhich permits the door to be first moved radially out of sealingposition and to be there upon opened and closed (i.e., movedcircumferentially of the machine out of and into registry with theopening) without any sliding friction and without wear of the sealingring.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved supporting mechanismfor a tub door which permits the aforestated objectives to beaccomplished in an economical manner.

Features of the invention reside in mounting the tub door yieldably onthe inner walls of two supporting ring- !shaped bars which completelysurround the machine at a clearance space and which are in turn mountedon rollers for free rotation to carry the door circumferentially of themachine between open and closed posi tions without any sliding contactagainst the sealing means. The yieldable mounting of the door on thesupporting rings in turn permits a radial movement of the door into andout of compressive engagement with the sealing gasket while the door isin closed position.

Further objects and features of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the appended claims.

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In the description of my invention, reference is bad to the accompanyingdrawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a washing machine of a cylindertype incorporating my invention;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are leftward and rightward vertical sectional viewstaken respectively on the lines 22 and 3-3 of FIGURE 1 when the door isin a closed and sealed position;

FIGURE 4 is a fractional sectional view to enlarged scale showing aportion of the mechanism for sealing the tub door, taken on the line 4-4of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a fractional sectional view showing a portion of the tubdoor mounting mechanism when the door is sealed and closed, taken on theline 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 when the tub door is not sealed;

FIGURE 7 is a fractional view taken from the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fractional view from the direction opposite to that ofFIGURE 3 and to enlarged scale showing the chain linkage running fromthe tub door to the door opening and closing motor, when the door isopened and not sealed;

FIGURES 9, 11, 13 and 14 are fractional sectional views takenrespectively on lines 9-9, 11-11, 13-13 and 14-14 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fractional outside view of the washing machine from theline 10-10 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 12 and 15 are fractional views taken respectively on the lines12-12 and 15-15 of FIGURE 3 ;and

FIGURE 16 is a schematic diagram showing the control circuits foropening, closing and sealing the tub door.

With reference to the front elevation of FIGURE 1 and the transversesections of FIGURES 2 and 3, a tub 10 is secured to a pair of machineend frame plates 11 which serve as the end walls of the tub. There areframe cross members 12, 13 at the bottom and 14, 15 at the top. Motorsand associated drive means for rotating a cylinder 16 at washing orextracting speeds are indicated generally at 17 and 18 respectively. Theend frame plates have a laterally-extending part 11a along theboundaries, and there are housings or guards 19 for the drive parts, Thetub drain is shown at 20.

'The tub door opening extends substantially across the width of the tub,and is of a considerable arcuate extent running from point A to point Bin FIGURE 2. This large opening is employed to facilitate loading andunloading of the compartments 16a, 16b of the horizontalpartitioncylinder. When the tub door 10a and the hinged doors 21 of the uppercylinder compartment are opened, and the partition 16c is inclineddownward towards the opening, a heavy load of laundry can be easilypulled out by the operator. When the tub door 10a is closed, it overlapsthe opening the perimeter of which is defined by a ledge or bar 22 witha rubber seal or gasket member 23. After the door has been broughtcircumferentially into closing position, it is to be moved radially intosealing engagement with the gasket.

The door is carried by a ring-shaped bar 24 at each end. Headed screwsor bolts 25 extend through holes near the door side edges, and extendthrough clearance holes in the inner wall portions of the bars 24. Theseclearance holes open into cavities, and in these cavities there areplungers 26 threaded on the bolts 25 as shown in FIGURE 5. A compressionspring 27 acting against each plunger shoulder normally holds the doorin contact with the inner wall of the ring. The latter is supported byrollers 28 mounted for rotation on studs 29 on the end frame plate. Thering is held against endwise movement by flanges 28a on the rollersalternate rollers having the flange on opposite sides of the ring asshown in FIGURE 10. The door, when unsealed, can thus be movedcircumferentially along with the roller-mounted rings, out of allcontact with the tub. It might be just noted here that the two smalldoors or pockets 1% are the usual supply doors, for soap, etc.

When the door is in closing registry with the opening, it is pulledradially into sealing contact with the encircling rubber seal gasket 23by means of a metal strap or band 30 at each side. The band is anchoredat the back or top end to the frame at 390, FIGURE 2. At the bottom itis connected to a cam member 31 eccentrically in relation to thecamshaft 32, whereby a clockwise movement of the shaft will pull theband tightly around the door and seal the latter down against the gasket(FIG- URES 4 and 5). In FIGURES 1-5 the door is closed and sealed.FIGURES 6 and 7 show the relation of the parts corresponding to FIGURE 5but in the unsealed condition with the band loose, which would be thecase when the camshaft 32 is turned counterclockwise. Operation of thecamshaft is accomplished by a pair of double-acting air cylinder motors33, acting through an arm 34 at each end of the machine. The peripheralsurfaces of these two cams 31, and of additional cams 31a spaced alongthe camshaft, are eccentric in relation to the shaft to enable the camsto squeeze down against a channel strip 35 along the bottom part of thedoor at the same time that the bands are pulled tight, thus assuringsealing along the bottom. Since the connection of the tub door to thecarrier ring is by means of bevelhead screws which freely fit in holesin the door, and the screws pass loosely through clearance holes in thering, as noted, a certain amount of tolerance is afforded, to allow forthe slight change in radius from the position where the door is againstthe ring to that where it is down against the gasket. This alsoaccommodates for any slight difference in the amount of radial movementand compression of the rubber gasket member along the side edges.

FIGURE 3 shows the power means for moving the tub door circumferentiallyto open or closed position. (Carrier ring 24 is shown only partially inthis view, and the other associated parts, shown on FIGURE 2, are leftoff of FIGURE 3 to prevent confusion with the doormoving mechanism.) Ingeneral, the power means comprises a slow speed reversible electricmotor 36, mounted on frame member 14 and arranged to drive a belt orchain 37 and move the door in either direction. FIGURE 3 shows theoperating parts with the door in closed and sealed position, andfragmentary sectional views of FIG- URES 12 and 15 likewise show partsin this position. In FIGURE 8 the view is from the side or directionopposite to that of FIGURE 3, enlarged, showing the parts with the tubdoor all the way open. Fragmentary sectional views of FIGURES 9, 11, 13and 14 refer to FIGURE 8. A support bar 38, secured to frame members 14,15, has secured to it a pair of spaced brackets 39. Mounted therebetweenare two idler sprockets 40, 41. The chain 37 goes over motor sprocket42, down through an opening in support 38, and goes under each idlersprocket and extends tangentially toward the front and the back, restingon an arcuate bar 43. This bar is secured integrally between a pair ofarcuate angle members 44a, 44b, which extend from a point a shortdistance back of the front edge of the door to a point some distancebeyond the back edge. The chain is secured to the front end of the bar43 by a short hold-down bar 45 and a couple of bolts 46. At the backend, an extension bolt 47 and nut 48 secure the chain adjustably to anupstanding lug 49 on the bar 43.

The pair of angle members, with the integral bar 43, is supported by twosets of rollers 50 journaled near the front and back of each bracket 39.By this support ing means the angle members are free to rollcircumferentially at a radial distance such that the tub door will comeup against the underside of bar 43 when the door is unsealed. (FIGURE14). The connection to the door is by means of a pair of upstanding ears51 near the front and a similar pair 52 near the back of the door. Theseears fit in cut-aways 53 (FIGURE 12) in the angle members 44 and rest insliding contact against bar 43. A slot 54 in each ear receives a pin 55secured in bar 43. Since the bar 43 is in a fixed radial position, thisslotted connection permits the door to move radially for sealing orreleasing.

The diagram of FIGURE 16 shows a suitable control for opening, closing,and sealing the door. The parts and circuits are in the condition wherethe door is closed and sealed. The motor 36 is unenergized, as are thesolenoid or relay switches 56 and 57, and the solenoid air valve 58.Since the air valve 58 is of an ordinary normally-closed combinationtype, the forward end of each cylinder 33 is open to atmosphere throughthe valve. The solenoid valve 59 is energized, admitting air pressure tothe bottom inlet of the two cylinder motors 33 to hold the tub doorsealed as before described. The circuit is from L lines 60, 61, normallyclosed lower contact a of pushbutton switch 62, line 63, lower contact aof limit switch 64, line 65 to solenoid valve 59, and then lines 66, 67,68 and 69 to L It will be noticed that a limit switch 64 is heldoperated by a cam 70. Referring to FIGURES 3, 8, 9 and 15, it will beseen that the switch 64 and a similar switch 71 are mounted on theframe, one on each side of the angle members 44, with their actuatorroller arm in contact with the respective angle (any other type ofsuitable switch and actuator finger could be used). A cam 70 is securedto angle 44b in such position as to operate switch 64 when the tub dooris in closed position, FIG URE 15. Another cam 72 is so located on angle44a as to operate switch 71 when the door is in a full-open position,FIGURE 9. In the diagram, therefore, the switch 64 is operated by thecam 70, as already noted, and the switch 71 is unoperated.

Unsealing and opening is effected by use of a pushbutton 62. Operationof this switch opens its lower contact a, breaking the previously tracedcircuit to solenoid air valve 59. At the same time, closing of the uppercontact b of the pushbutton switch makes a circuit from L lines 60 and73, upper contact b of the switch 62, lines 74, 75 and 76, solenoidvalve 58, and then lines 67, 68 and 69 to L The valve 58 is thereforeopened, admitting air pressure to the top end of each cylinder 33 tounseal the tub door. Also at the same time a circuit is made from Llines 60 and 73, pushbutton contact 621), line 74, switch 71, line 77,normally closed contact a of relay switch 56, line 78 to coil of relayswitch 57, and then by lines 79, 67, 68 and 69 to L The opening ofcontact 57a has no effect, merely preventing the making of incorrectcircuits. A three-wire circuit is made to motor 36 through closing ofswitch contacts 57c, d and e as follows: L lines 60 and 80, contact 0,and line 81 to motor terminal 36a; L lines 69, 68, contact 57d and line82 to motor terminal b; and L lines 83 and 84, contact 572 and line 85to motor terminal c. This starts motor 36 turning counterclockwise,FIGURE 3, to pull the door in an opening direction. A self-maintainingcircuit is made when the switch 57b closes, this being from L lines 60,73 and 86, contact 57b, lines 75 and 74, limit switch 71, line 77,contact 56a, line 78, switch coil 57, and then lines 79, 67, 68 and 69to L This by-passes or shunts the pushbutton switch contact 6217. At thesame time, a maintaining circuit is provided to solenoid valve 58(by-passing pushbutton 62), which goes from L lines 60, 73 and 86,contact 57b, lines 75 and 76, solenoid valve 58, and then lines 67, 68and 69 to L These maintaining circuits are immediately effective.However, the operator releases pushbutton 62 only after the door hasmoved slightly in opening direction, just enough so that cam 70 releaseslimit switch 64, allowing its contact a to open. If pushbutton contact62a were allowed to close before limit switch contact 64a is opened, acircuit would be closed to the seal air valve 59.

When the motor 36 has moved the tub door to a fullopen position, cam 72arrives at and operates limit switch 71. This breaks thepreviously-traced circuit to the relay switch 57, deenergizing motor 36.It also breaks the previously traced circuit to air valve 58. Thedoor-sealing mechanism remains, of course, in released condition, as thevalve 59 is not open at this time.

As a safety measure, the control is such that to close the door theoperator must hold a pair of pushbutton switches depressed during theentire closing movement. These switches 87, 88 will be spaced enough sothat both hands must be used, but such 2-hand control is wellknown. Theseveral pushbutton switches, along with other switches, etc. for theother operations of the washer, would be located somewhere in aconvenient place on the machine or on a separate control console. Themotor 36 is unenergized, as are both solenoid valves 58, 59, and relayswitches 56, 57. The limit switch 71 is held open by cam 72, and thelimit switch 64 is in its unoperated condition to cause its contact 12to be closed and contact a to be open. The operator now operates bothpushbutton switches 87, 88. This closes a circuit from L lines 60, 89,limit switch contact 64b, line 90, pushbutton switch 87, line 91,pushbutton switch 88, line 92, relay switch contact 57a, line 93 to coilof relay switch 56, and then lines 94 and 69 to L This closes switchcontacts 56b, 0 and d, to energize motor 36 in the reverse direction, byreversing L and L relative to motor terminals a and c. L is nowconnected via line 60, contact 56b, lines 95 and 85 to motor terminal1:; L is connected via line 69, contact 560, lines 96 and 82 to motorterminal b; and L is connected via line 83, contact 56d, lines 97 and 81to motor terminal :2. Opening of contact 56a has no effect, merelypreventing possible closing of incorrect circuits.

Just after the door starts moving in a closing direction, cam 72releases limit switch 71 but with no effect. When the door reachesclosed position, cam 70 operates limit switch 64, opening contact b andclosing contact a as in the diagram. The opening of contact b breaks thepreviously traced circuit to the coil of relay switch 56, effectingdeenergization of motor 36. The closing of limit switch contact 64acloses the circuit to solenoid valve 59, sealing the tub door, aspreviously traced.

It might be mentioned that the limit switches and cams will, of course,be accurately located to cut ofl? the motor 36 at the correct point inopening and closing of the tub door. There are also the usual abutmentmembers along the top and bottom edge zones. The back end of the doorhas a turned-down edge c facing at a forward angle. This contacts amating part 98 on the rear ledge of the door opening in door-closedposition. Extending across the under side of the door near the bottom isa flange or strip 10d. In the door-open position, this strip 10d restsagainst the rear ledge of the door opening, and in closed position it isjust short of contacting the front edge of the opening so as to breakthe force of the water which would otherwise be surging or hittingdirectly against the bottom gasket seal.

The specific embodiment of my invention herein particularly described isintended as being illustrative and not necessarily limitative of myinvention, since the same is subject to changes and modificationswithout departure from the scope of my invention which I endeavor to setforth according to the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a cylinder type laundry machine having a circumferential openingof a length less than half the dis tance around the machine, saidopening being provided with a sealing ring: the combination of anarcuate tub door for said opening, circular mounting bars for said doorsurrounding said machine at a clearance distance therefrom, guiderollers mounted at intervals around said machine and engaging the outerperipheral surface of said mounting bars for supporting the mountingbars for rotational movement around the machine at a uniform spacingtherefrom, yieldable means coupling said door to said mounting bars fornormally holding the door displaced from said sealing ring and forcarrying the door around the machine out of and into registration withsaid opening as the mounting bars are rotated, reversible power meansfor rotating said mounting bars, and power means operable when said dooris in overlapping relation to said opening for moving said door radiallyof the machine into sealing engagement with said sealing ring.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said yieldable couplingmeans comprises plungers secured to said door and traversing mountingholes in the said respective mounting bars, and compression springsinterposed between said plungers and respective bars for holding thedoor yieldably against the inner peripheral walls of the mounting bars.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said power means forrotating said circular mounting bars comprises an electric motorprovided with a drive gear, a chain belt trained around said drive gearand connected at its ends to leading and trailing end portions of saidtub door, and two adjacent idler rollers for guiding the opposite endportions of said chain belt leading from said drive gear into tangentialrelation to said door.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein two of said circularmounting bars are provided and are spaced along said machine to overlieopposite side portions of said door, and wherein said power means forrotating said mounting bars comprises a power operated drive pulley anda belt trained around said pulley and guided into peripheral relation tosaid door with opposite end portions of said belt extendingcircumferentially along said door and connected at the terminal endsrespectively to the leading and trailing end portions of said door, saidbelt being located midway between said circular mounting bars.

5. In a cylinder type laundry machine having an opening with a sealinggasket: the combination of an arcuate tub door for said opening, a pairof circular bars surrounding said machine, guide rollers on said machineengaging said bars to support the bars for rotational movement, meansyieldably mounting said door on said bars for carrying said doorcircumferentially of the machine out of contact with said sealing ringas said bars are rotated and for permitting the door to be movedradially inwardly against said sealing ring when the door is in registrywith said opening, and power means for circumferentially moving saiddoor comprising an electric motor having a drive wheel, a belt trainedaround said drive wheel, an arcuate track for said belt midway betweensaid circular bars, means guiding said track for movementcircumferentially of said machine at a fixed distance therefrom, pinslot connections between end portions of said track and the trailing andleading end portions of said door for moving the track with the doorcircumferentially of the machine while allowing freedom of radialmovement of the door relative to the machine, means connecting the endsof said belt to respective end portions of said track, and idler rollersfor guiding said belt from said drive wheel into tangential relation tosaid track.

6. A tub door mounting for a cylinder type washing machine comprisingtwo circular bars surrounding the machine at a distance therefrom,flanged rollers mounted on said machine and engaging the outerperipheral walls of said bars for supporting the bars for rotationalmovement, radial openings in said bars, plungers in said openingssecured to said tub door, and compression springs interposed betweensaid bars and said plungers for holding the tub door yieldably againstthe inner walls of said bars -Whll6 permitting the door to be pressedradially inwardly into sealed relationship with said machine.

7. The tub door mounting set forth in claim 6 including a plurality ofoverlying bands traversing said door from front to back when the door isin registry with said ,opening, means for tightening said bands to presssaid door radially into sealed position, and a plurality of eccentriccarn members positioned along the bottom portion References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS Mounce 220-41 Hutterer 22041 Files 22041of said door and coupled to said tightening means for 10 THERON E.CONDON, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A CYLINDER TYPE, LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL OPENINGOF A LENGTH LESS THAN HALF THE DISTANCE AROUND THE MACHINE, SAID OPENINGBEING PROVIDED WITH A SEALING RING: THE COMBINATION OF AN ARCUATE TUBDOOR FOR SAID OPENING, CIRCULAR MOUNTNG BARS FOR SAID DOOR SURROUNDINGSAID MACHINE AT A CLEARANCE DISTANCE THEREFROM, GUIDE ROLLERS MOUNTED ATINTERVALS AROUND SAID MACHINE AND ENGAGING THE OUTER PERIPHEAL SURFACEOF SAID MOUNTING BARS FOR SUPPORTING THE MOUNTING BARS FOR ROTATIONALMOVEMENT AROUND THE MACHINE AT A UNIFORM SPACING THEREFROM, YIELDABLEMEANS COUPLING SAID DOOR TO SAID MOUNTING BARS FOR NORMALLY HOLDING THEDOOR DISPLACED FROM SAID SEALING RING AND FOR CARRYING THE DOOR AROUNDTHE MACHINE OUT OF AND INTO REGISTRATION WITH SAID OPENING AS THEMOUNTING BARS ARE ROTATED, REVERSIBLE POWER MEANS FOR ROTATING SAIDMOUNTING BARS, AND POWER MEANS OPERABLE WHEN SAID DOOR IS IN OVERLAPPINGRELATION TO SAID OPENING FOR MOVING SAID DOOR RADIALLY OF THE MACHINEINTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SEALING RING.